Travel Training Service
The City of Bristol College Travel Training Service aims to support students with additional support needs to travel safely and independently.
The service is available to students at the Ashley Down Centre, College Green Centre, South Bristol Skills Academy and Parkway centres.
The Travel Training Service provides a safe place to try out independent travel, learn new skills and build confidence.
The service supports students to overcome barriers by empowering them with tools that facilitate their inclusion and their transition into adulthood and employment.
Who is Travel Training for?
Eligibility Criteria: Students who are on a Education, Health and Care Plan with an agreed outcome to have Independent Travel Training stated in section F of their EHCP.
Travel Training is available to students who want to develop the skills and confidence to travel safely and independently, using public transport as an alternative to being supported by parents or staff or using a taxi or community transport/minibus.
Some of the students we support have never had the opportunity to travel independently before, while others are already independent in some routes and they want to learn a new route or to improve their confidence and safety.
Why do Travel Training?
Travel training has an important role in promoting young people’s independence. It helps with road safety and awareness skills, planning routes, staying safe when out and about and accessing opportunities like education, employment, sport and leisure activities or visiting family and friends.
Travel Training helps with issues people face when using public transport such as the fear of getting lost or being discriminated against for having a learning disability.
How does it work?
- Road safety and awareness
- Personal safety
- Planning a journey
- Travel skills and using public transport
- Money skills
- Concept of time
- Appropriate behaviour
- Communication
After an initial interview and assessment are completed with the student/parents/carers, a training plan is designed – usually lasting around six weeks, depending on previous travel experience and skills.
During the training, the level of support given is gradually reduced. Most of the training is done in a practical way and involves observations whilst out using public transport and crossing roads to make sure they are safe.
A travel training pack is provided to the students, containing useful easy English information covering relevant topics such as how to keep safe when out and about, a checklist of what to carry, how to cross the road safely, what to do in scenarios of missing the bus, a bus breaking down, having an accident, feeling unwell and being bullied or harassed.
To help students feeling safe and confident when out and about, a tailored travel wallet is provided to the student with relevant information about their journey such as bus numbers and times, emergency numbers and speaking cards.
More information about travel training
If you would like more information about the service or to make a referral please contact our Travel Training Coordinator, Helder Pedro:
- Landline: 0117 312 2754
- Mobile: 07827 280 874
- Email: Helder.Pedro@cityofbristol.ac.uk